


Wolves, Medics, and Pineapple Soup

by BeatriceWrites



Category: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cute, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, HollowHeart - Freeform, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:11:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8393890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeatriceWrites/pseuds/BeatriceWrites
Summary: When a brown-eyed stranger rescues Jake from dying in the snow, Jake is almost disappointed with the fact that he is still breathing....Small house in snow desert AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really new to the fandom (we all are), so I'm sorry if any characters seem out of character. Please tell me if I've made any (grammatical) mistakes so I can correct them. 
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

** One **

* * *

            He walked on, desperate to survive, but willing to die. The drops of blood dripping down his trench coat contrasted strikingly with the white snow. His breathing was heavy and uneven, as if he was trying to get as much air as possible into his lungs, whilst having difficulty breathing. He walked with a painful limp, as if every step was about to be his last. Blood dripped down his right arm and his left leg, leaving a trail of red along his path. His left hand clutched his right arm, trying to stop the bleeding.

            All around him was nothing but pale, white snow. The snow stretched on for miles and miles, seeming to go on forever.

            “Somebody…help…me!” he shouted into the white nothingness, each syllable tearing his vocal chords apart. An eerie silence followed, as if mocking him, revealing the inevitable truth that he was all alone in the white abyss.

            With a stumble, he fell face-flat onto the snow, his blood slowly staining it red. With one last burst of energy, he flipped over to lay on his back. His blue eyes looked up at the sky, and he laughed, the sound piercing through the silence. He breathed in the cold air one last time, before slowly closing his eyes.

 

* * *

 

            Jake woke up to the smell of chocolate. His head felt like it had been shot by 27 arrows, and then split apart with an axe. His leg felt better than he expected, as well as his arm. He slowly sat up, his back killing him the whole time, and looked around.

            He was in a bedroom of some sort, plain but homely. The walls were a deep blue, as well as most of the furniture in the room. He noticed his leg and arm had been bandaged neatly, and beside him, on a nightstand were two pills, a glass of water, and a note. The note read, “Be out to market, pills help the headache.”

            He gulped down the pills. They did cure the headache, just as the note had stated.

_“I’m still breathing,”_ he thought, “ _Why am I still breathing?”_

He felt disappointed. Why had somebody saved him? Destiny, Life, Death, every force of nature, seemed to be mocking him. Tears sprang to his eyes; he could almost hear them laughing at him.

            But hidden behind a thick veil of sadness and disappointment, was relief. He may not admit it, but he knows, that deep within his heart, he’s relieved that he’s still alive.

            He wiped the tears. _I’m still alive, so what? I’m glad._

            He was about to lay back down after taking the pills, when suddenly the door burst open and he found himself staring into a brown pair of eyes.

            “You’re awake,” the owner of those brown eyes spoke, the smallest of smiles ghosting over his lips. 

            “Yes…yes I am,” Jake replied, “How long have I been out?”

 

            “Three…four days, perhaps?” the stranger shrugged, “I’m not sure.”

            “Oh…I’m…my name is,” Jake rubbed his temples. What was his name again? It was right on the edge of his mind, he could almost grasp it.

 

            “I’m…” Jake searched his brain, “J-Jake. Yes, Jake. I’m Jake.”

 

            “You can call me Enoch,” the stranger smiled, stepping into the room.

 

            “So…shopping?” Jake asked, glancing at the basket the stranger was holding.

 

            “Yes, I was running out of supplies.”

 

            “How did you find me in the snow anyway?” Jake asked.

 

            “I was out hunting. Though, there isn’t much to hunt in this snow anyway. When I saw a body in the snow, I got excited, thinking it was an easy catch. It turned out to be you, lying on the snow, a stupid smile plastered on your face as if somebody had told you a really good joke right before you lost consciousness.”

 

            “Why didn’t you just leave me there?” Jake asked, a hint of disappointment in his tone, “I was welcoming Death with open arms.”

 

            “Could I? Should I? If you saw a bloody unconscious person, lying on the snow, would you rescue them? If I hadn’t rescued you, I wouldn’t be able to sleep straight for the next two years. Bad for my morals, not helping a person in need. I don’t want your death on my hands. If you want to die, hang yourself or something,” Enoch replied.

 

            “I’m sorry,” Jake sighed, “It’s just…life has been hard on me for the past few days.”

 

            “Don’t think about dying yet, you’re too young. You’re like, what, thirteen?” Enoch said, moving across the room, and unpacking something out of his basket.

            Jake chuckled, “I’m twenty-three.”

            “Doesn’t look like it,” Enoch mumbled, “You’re older than me, then, even though you look like a grade school kid. I’m twenty-one. Anyway, what hardships have life thrown at you, enough that you would want to die, Mr. Sad?”

            “Girls…the love of my life…she was seeing someone else all along,” Jake said rubbing the back of his neck. It felt weird saying it out loud to someone, a stranger nonetheless, but he was glad he got it off his chest.

 

            An awkward silence fell upon them.

 

            “I see you’ve done a great job bandaging my arm and leg,” Jake attempted a conversation.

 

            “I’m a medic,” Enoch replied, taking out what seems to be a bottle from the basket, and slowly opening it, “How’d you get such deep wounds anyway? I had to stitch the gashes. Wolves?”

            “Four of them,” Jake replied.

 

            “All while you were taking a leisurely stroll in the snow desert? Lucky,” he said sarcastically, and placed the bottle on the nightstand.

 

            Jake eyed it with slight terror and disgust. The label read, “Enoch’s Infection Syrup.”

 

            “Did the wolves come back? I think they can follow my trail of blood.”

 

            “Yeah, do you know how much bloody, red snow I had to shovel off the ground, in the hopes that the smell doesn’t linger? I also had to spray some homemade herb perfumes onto the ground,” Enoch sighed, “Stay here while I go get a spoon. Don’t try to run.” He quickly exited the room.

 

            “I can’t even stand yet…I think!” Jake called after him.

 

            Enoch returned a minute later holding a big spoon. He took the bottle from the nightstand and poured a huge glop onto the spoon.

            “Open your mouth...ahhh,” Enoch said, holding the spoon to Jake’s lips.

 

            “I will not,” Jake cringed as the horrid odor entered his nostrils. He backed away.

 

            “You will,” Enoch snapped, and suddenly grabbed Jake mouth, holding it open. He thrust the mixture into it, and slapped a palm over Jake’s mouth, shutting it. With his other hand, Enoch dropped the spoon, and pinched Jake’s nose, closing it. Jake couldn’t breathe, and the only way he would be able to, is if he swallowed the mixture.

            “Swallow,” Enoch ordered, and Jake did as he was told.

 

            Once Enoch was sure that Jake has swallowed every last drop of the mixture, he let go of the boy, and Jake inhaled deeply, grateful for the oxygen that returned to his lungs.

 

            Jake looked up, and suddenly he was aware of the fact that they were uncomfortably close to each other, their faces just an inch apart. He stared into those brown eyes, getting lost in them. He glanced down to Enoch’s lips, pink and full, just the way he liked it.

 

            Enoch suddenly pushed him down onto the bed, and turned around, not facing him.

            “Get your sleep,” Enoch mumbled, “The mixture helps you heal faster.”

 

            Jake looked at the back of Enoch’s head, and noticed that the tips of his ears were starting to turn red.

 

* * *

 

 

****


	2. Two

* * *

 

**Two **

* * *

 

            It took Jake approximately 93 days for him to fully recover.

 

            Enoch’s medicine had no effect whatsoever, rather than making him want to puke, but Enoch liked to claim that if it wasn’t for his homemade medicine, Jake would take a lot more than 93 days to fully recover.

 

            Jake stayed in Enoch’s care for 93 days (plus the days he stayed unconscious), which made Jake feel bad, but Enoch said he didn’t mind the company. Plus, Jake could help him with laundry, and washing the dishes.

           

           

* * *

 

 

            The two boys ate in silence, a comfortable atmosphere hanging over them. Jake looked at Enoch from across the table, loving the way his eyes stayed focused on the food in front of him.

 

 _“It means the food is good,”_ Jake smiled, “ _He looks around the room if it isn’t.”_

“Why are you smiling at me for no reason?” Enoch snapped, looking up at him, “Has the medicine finally messed with your head?”

            “I wasn’t smiling,” Jake argued.

            “You were; don’t you dare deny it,” Enoch put down his spoon and leaned on the table, “I saw you, twat. Now tell me, why the hell are you smiling?”

            “I don’t know…just excited for tomorrow I guess,” Jake lied.

 

            “What’s so special about tomorrow?”

 

            “I return…to my village,” Jake hesitated, “I mean, my leg’s never felt this great, so…I guessed it was about time.”

            “Oh. Right,” Enoch mumbled, his eyes casting downwards, “Are you excited? I sure am. Can’t wait to kick you out of our house.”

            “Did you just say ‘our house’?” Jake asked.

            “I didn’t say crap,” Enoch snapped.

 

            “Well…for tomorrow, I guess I am excited,” Jake replied, “I can’t wait to get away from your stupid pineapple soup.”

            “Oh shut up. You know you love it. It’s an original recipe.”

 

            “Your original recipes are all gross,” Jake retorted.

            At this, Enoch leaned over, and flicked Jake’s forehead.

            “Oww…”

            Enoch sat back down, “Why…are you even going back there anyway? I mean, you told me all your relatives were dead. Is there even any point?”

            “I err…I have special business to attend to,” Jake scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

            “What special business? Is it about that girl?” Enoch snapped.

            “What? What…what do you --”

            “Never mind,” Enoch suddenly stood up from the table, “I’ve got to do something. Wash the dishes.”

             He strolled out of the room, and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Jake bewildered and confused.

 

* * *

 

 

            Morning came quite easily. Jake woke up to the sound of Enoch humming a tune. He got up from bed, and walked to the kitchen, where he could see Enoch frying something.

            “Morning, Enoch,” Jake yawned, stretching his limbs.

            “Morning, Jake.”

            “What’re you frying?” Jake asked, sitting down on a dining chair, his elbows leaning on the table.

            “Sausages, and…pineapples,” Enoch mumbled the last part, but Jake heard it anyway.

            “I’m not eating fried pineapples.”

            “Too bad, I already packed them into your lunchbox.”

            “My lunchbox?”

 

            “You’re leaving, right? Your village is a one hour walk from here. I figured you might get hungry,” Enoch shrugged.

 

_~~I packed extra food too, just in case you want to come back.~~_

 

            “I also packed a few things you might need for the journey. Water, clothes, band aids, you name it. Have a safe journey,” Enoch continued, pointing to a leather bag, “I can’t be bothered to take care of you again if you run into those wolves.”

 

            “I won’t. I’ll be careful. Thanks Enoch,” Jake stood up and walked towards Enoch, suddenly engulfing him in a hug from behind, “I can’t wait to finally escape from your obsession with pineapples.”

            “Oh shut up,” Enoch chuckled nervously, “You know you love it.”

 

            Jake hummed in reply, and nuzzled his face into the crook of Enoch’s neck.

            Enoch sighed, secretly wishing they could stay like that forever.

 

            Jake broke the silence, “Enoch?”

 

            “Yeah?”

 

            “I’ll be back. I love you,” he let go of the shorter boy, slung the leather bag over his shoulder, and walked out of the door.

            A minute of silence passed, and tears slowly rolled down Enoch’s cheek.

 

            “Why did he just leave like that? That’s cruel, saying something like that just before he left. I don’t even know if he’s actually going to come back," Enoch sobbed, his tears falling into the dish, making it slightly saltier.

 

            Enoch ate his breakfast in silence.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three is coming in a bit


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has a swear word in it so don't read if you're five.

** Three **

* * *

****

            Enoch had finished his breakfast by the time he noticed it.

 

_That idiot. His ears are going to freeze._

            Enoch sighed. He had no choice but to run after Jake and give them to him. Besides, he didn’t want Jake’s belongings hanging around his house, reminding him of the boy.

_But ~~honestly, he just wanted to see Jake.~~_

 

* * *

 

            “If I leave right now, jogging, I can make it,” Enoch said to himself, looking down at his watch. It had been twenty minutes since Jake had left the house.

            Enoch gathered a few of his things, and headed out the door, humming a little tune as he jogged, his thoughts collected and calm.

            The cool winter air felt amazing across his face, the world pure white all around him. It hadn’t been tainted with red, unlike the first time Jake, the prick, arrived into his world.

 

_“What had Jake been doing this far out in the snow desert, anyway,”_ Enoch wondered to himself,  _“Even if he was taking a leisurely stroll, I’m sure a normal person wouldn’t walk this far. Did he have a destination in mind, or did he just have a death wish?”_

_“Besides,”_ Enoch thought to himself,  _“now that I think about it, the wolves around this area don’t attack unless attacked.”_

 

 

            He had been jogging for ten minutes, and Enoch smiled when he saw a tangible outline of Jake’s figure up ahead.

 

_“Yes,”_ Enoch thought,  _“I’ll give him his mufflers, and I can go home.”_

 

             _I love you._

            The words rang through his head, in Jake’s voice, clear and sweet, making Enoch’s thoughts scatter, and smacking him off balance. He tripped on his own two feet and fell face-flat onto the snow.

 

            Enoch collected his thoughts and shook his head. That wasn’t the purpose of going after Jake. The purpose was to give him his mufflers. The plan was to then come back home, and gather herbs, maybe read a book.

 

            “I’ll just quickly get this over with,” Enoch muttered to himself, getting back up on his feet. He jogged a bit, the faint silhouette of the boy he knew so well,  _(or did he?)_  becoming bigger.

 

            The image of Jake’s back cleared, as if the lens of a camera had sharpened its focus. With everything coming into focus, Enoch could also see another figure in front of Jake. He squinted his eyes to see the other person, and stumbled backwards onto his butt when it all came into view.

 

_(Enoch sure fell a lot for someone who was supposed to be calm and composed.)_

            A girl, Enoch didn’t know who, was hugging Jake, her arms wrapped around his frame.

            Enoch felt air being smacked out of his lungs, and he struggled to remember how to breathe. A deep ache filled his entire being, and Enoch could feel hot tears threatening to fall.

 

_It could just be his sister,_ a voice inside him said.

 

_He doesn’t have a sister,_ Enoch replied,  _he told me so._

_Yeah, but he could’ve lied,_  the voice said.

 

            Enoch sat there as he watched them exchange words. He couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying, but he caught a few words. Words that a sister definitely  **wouldn’t** say to a brother.

 

            “Sorry…cheating…get back together…”

 

            The words rattled through his brain, and he tried to make sense of them.

 

_There’s no need to make sense of them. It’s obvious. He cheated on you._

            But were they even together in the first place?

 

            Enoch thought about it, and finally decided that no, they weren’t together, and he had no reason to be jealous, whatsoever.

 

            Enoch stood up and walked towards the couple. He would give Jake the mufflers, wish him good luck with the girl, and go home. He wouldn’t be angry, he would be happy that Jake finally got back with that lying, cheating –

 

_I won’t be angry,_ Enoch thought to himself,  _I won’t be angry._

            He inched closer to the couple, the girl had finally stopped hugging Jake,  ** _thank goodness_** , but was now holding his hand.

 

_I won’t be angry._

            The girl looked up at Jake, and started leaning towards him, while Jake just stood there, somewhat frozen.

_I won’t be –_

            “Jake, what the fuck, man?” Enoch shouted.

 

_Damn it._

 

            The girl sprang away from Jake, and looked at Enoch in confusion. Jake turned to face him, and said, “Enoch this is not what it –”

 

            “This is exactly what it looks like! I trust my eyes, and they saw you getting cozy with that girl over there.” He pointed viciously at the girl, who stood stunned,  _still **too close**_ to Jake.

 

            Enoch could feel wet tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn’t care, he didn’t care,  _he didn’t care_ , because godammit, he needed answers.

 

            “Is it all a lie? That confession you made right before you left? Did you say it just to make a fool out of me?” Enoch shouted.

 

            “It wasn’t! You have to understand, she –”

 

            “There’s nothing I need to understand! It was obviously a lie. You said that to me, just to see me act like a fool. Just to make me think about you even after you’ve left.”

 

            “You don’t understand, I –”

 

            “Don’t bother,” Enoch sighed, “Finish your business.” He threw the mufflers onto the ground, “I just came to give you those.”

            He wiped his tears furiously, and turned around to walk away.

 

            “Wait,” he heard Jake say, and moments later a hand wrapped around his wrist.

            “Three minutes, that’s it,” Enoch said, not turning to face the boy.

 

            “Okay…” Jake said, his voice sharp in Enoch’s ears, “That confession, it wasn’t a lie.”

            Enoch held his breath.

            “I fell in love with the way you gather herbs, and mix potions. I fell in love with your stupid obsession with pineapples. I fell in love with your homemade recipes, and homemade syrup. I fell in love with the way you sleep. I fell in love with  **you**.”

 

            Enoch closed his eyes, remembering to breathe, “So, what about the girl?”

            “Yeah, about her…I’ll just say this once and for all,” Enoch could hear Jake sucking in a deep breath. Hands grabbed his shoulders and Enoch found himself suddenly facing Jake.

            Jake turned to look at the girl, who had walked closer to the both of them.

 

            “Alice, I will not repeat this. No matter how much you try to seduce me, I will not be getting back together with you. There is a person I love, and,” Jake draped an arm across Enoch’s shoulders, “this is him.”

 

            Alice went silent for a while, and said, “Well, I didn’t expect you to. I was grasping blindly at straws, I guess. I’m glad you finally found happiness. I’m sorry…for a lot of things.” She then turned and jogged away from them, eventually disappearing in the snow.

 

            Jake waited until she was completely out of sight, before saying, “You misunderstood everything.”

 

            “How could I not?” Enoch snapped, still somewhat salty about the whole thing, “She was all over you.”

 

            “I wasn’t all over her.”

 

            “Still…you shouldn’t have  **let** her do it.”

 

            “I get it, I get it,” Jake said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, “Stop attacking me.”

            Enoch snorted in reply. A silence passed between them, the comfortable kind.

            “Let’s go home,” Enoch sighed after a few minutes, “I have to –”

 

            “Gather herbs, I know,” Jake said, interrupting him, “but I didn’t come all the way here for nothing. Come with me.”

            He turned and jogged away. Enoch ran to catch up, before falling into a comfortable pace beside Jake.

            “Why?”

            “Just follow me. I didn’t leave for no reason. There’s something I have to do.”

 

* * *

 

            Soon they arrived at a small, quaint village. It was a homely place, with roosters running around, children playing in small groups, and old people laughing and drinking tea.

            “Nice village,” Enoch muttered. Jake only hummed in reply.

 

            Before he knew it, they were standing in front of a wooden cottage. Jake took out a key, and opened the door. He disappeared into it, ushering Enoch to follow.

            Bland. Plain. Somehow Enoch couldn’t understand why those words could be used to describe the house of a boy so bright and cheerful.

            His house was tasteless. The walls were plain, no photographs, no paintings, nothing. His furniture was few and scarce. There was no trace of life, there was nothing to indicate that a person had lived there.

            Enoch ran his fingers over the wood, searching for signs of life, a house lizard maybe, but there was nothing.

            “I liked to live with minimum furniture,” a voice came from behind him. Enoch turned around to see Jake holding a box, “I didn’t see the point in decorating a house.”

 

            “Oh.”

 

            “This belonged to my parents,” Jake said putting the box down onto a table. Enoch walked closer for a better look.

            Jake opened the box, and inside, there were two rings. The bands were shaped like arrows, and the arrow heads of both rings were pointing to each other.

            “The arrow heads will lead us to one another when we are wearing them. That’s what my mother used to say anyway. I’m sorry they’re not made of –”

           

            “I love it,” Enoch muttered, running his fingers over them.

           

            “Then it’s yours,” Jake picked up a ring, and slid it onto Enoch’s ring finger. Enoch took the other one and did the same to Jake. They intertwined their fingers and looked at each other.

            “Do you swear to be mine, and mine forever? Even in sickness, and in health,” Jake asked.

            “I do.”

           

            “What about you?” Enoch laughed.

            “I do too,” Jake smiled.

             **.**

**.**

**.**

            .

* * *

 

            Years later, while they were sitting at a table, eating breakfast and watching their son as he ran around outside, Enoch muttered, “You know Jake, you didn’t even propose to me. You never did.”

 

            “Did I even need to?”

 

            Enoch laughed, a dry chuckle that somehow brightened the room, ( _ ~~and perhaps even the world.)~~_

 

            “No.”

* * *

 

             **End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment mistakes so I can fix them


End file.
